Fruit grader



April 8, 1924; 1,489,927

r A. E. CALDWELL FRUIT GRADER Filed July 1 1.' 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 V Jrmwntoz fl-E-Caldwell.

I 1,489,927 A. E. CALDWELL FRUIT GRADER FiledJuly 11. 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 7v d v w Q a I M x V W L L RN w &\\

A ril 8, 1924- Patented Apr. 8, 1924.

Tani

i F l- FRUIT GRADER.

Application filed July 11, 1923. Serial No. 650,348.

7 '0 all whom it may LO7tC6W/t.

Be it known that I, Anonm E. CALDWELL, a citizen of the United States, residingat Columbia in the county of Tuolumne and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fruit Graders, of which thefollowing is a specification. f

This invention is an apparatus for use in grading fruit and its object is to provide an inexpensive de ice by the use of which fruit may be easily assorted according to size so that substantial uniformity in the fruit delivered in one crate will be attained. The invention provides an apparatus which will support the fruit to be graded in such position that it may be conveniently inspected by the operator so that the fruit having no marketable value may be discarded and the other fruit quickly graded. The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings and will be hereinafter fully set forth.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a plan view of anapparatus constructed according to my invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section, and

Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of the gage or measuring board. i

In carrying out my invention, I employ a table 1 which may be supported upon legs or a frame 2 of any convenient form. The table is provided with an upstanding rim 3 whereby the fruit placed upon the table will be prevented from rolling off the same, and extending from side to side of the table is a rail or partition 4- which is similar in form and dimensions to the rim. In rear of the rim, the end portions of the table are preferably disposed obliquely, as indicated at 5, and extending alon and rising from the rear edge of the table is a gage or measuring board 6, the said gage or measuring board being supported by posts or standards 7 rigidly secured to the table at the ends of the same, as shown and as will be readily understood. The standards or posts are provided with vertical series of openings 8 therethrough in any one of which the securing bolts 9 may be engaged to secure the gage at the proper elevation. The lower edge of the gage or measuring board is of a stepped formation, as shown at 10, whereby a series of horizontally extending shoulders is produced and a space is formed between the lower edge of the measuring board or gage and the upper surface of the table which space is of greater vertical extent at one side of the table than at the other side, as will be readily understood upon reference to Fig. 3. Connected with the rear edge of the table and extending rearwardly therefrom at a slight downward inclination is a guide table 11 having upon its upper surface a plurality of ribs 12 extending longitudinally of the guide table so as to form a plurality of runways or chutes through which the fruit may roll to be received in baskets or other receptacles 13 disposed at the rear end and. along the sides of the guide table. By referringto Fig. 1, it will be noted that the guide table is si'ibstantially' triangular in form, the outermost runways or chutes being shorter than the intermediate runways or chutes and the intermediate runways or chutes be ing. in turn, shorter than the centralrunways. The several baskets or receptacles 13 are so disposed thateach runway delivers into one receptacle so that all the fruit passing through any one runwaywill be caught in the same receptacle and consequently all of the fruit in'any one receptacle will be of substantially uniform diameter. Thereceptacles are carried-by supporting frames 14 of any convenient construction and each frame is provided at, its upper end with a bracket 15 to be engaged by a'pin or stud 16 on the guiding table whereby the receptacles willbe maintainedin proper relation to the respective runways. In the present illustration, the measuring board or gage 6 is formed with four horizontally extending shoulders along its stepped edge 10, and the table 11 is provided with six runways on its upper side. The ends of the stepped edge of the gage or measuring board are disposed in the inclined portions 5 of the main table and the foremost receptacles or baskets are so disposed that each has a corner projecting under the table 1 in such position that the extreme grades of fruit may be passed directly into the baskets. The guiding or runway table is supported by the frames 14 which support the baskets l3 and is also supported at its front end by brackets 17 engaging eyes 18 on the table 1 so that the runway table will be held in fixed relation to the main or asserting table.

In use, the fruit to be assorted is dumped upon the table 1 between the rim 3 and the rail 4 and is spread upon the table so that the diflerent fruits may be readily grasped by the workmen. To facilitate the operation, measuring lines 19 may be marked upon the surface of the table 1 and extend from the front rim 3 to the rear edge of the table, and these lines will, of course, be in alinement with the several rails 12 of the runways. Fruit is required to be assorted according to its diameter, and the law permits only a specific variation in the diameters of all the fruits marketed within a single receptacle. The workmen will grasp the single fruits and by turning the same so that the greatest diameter is presented to the measuring board or gage will quickly determine under which of the stepped shoulders the fruit may pass and will deliver the fruit under said shoulder into the runway alined therewith or it will pass under the lowest shoulder or can pass only into one of the foremost receptacles 13. The fruit delivered onto the guiding table will roll down the same and will be kept to a straight path by the several ribs or rails 12 so that it will be delivered-positively into the'proper receptacle. By vertically adjusting the gage, the apparatus may be set for use in grading small fruits, such as apples, peaches or oranges, or larger fruits, such as melons, and it has been found that by the use of the apparatus fruit of all kinds may be very rapidly graded so that its shipment and marketing will be facilitated. It will be noted that each shoulder 10 bridges the front ends of two runways and the designations A and B are marked upon the table at the ends of the respective runways. The workman inspects each fruit to determine its quality and feeds it under the gage board into the proper runway accordingly as it is in A or B grade of a given diameter. The fruit is thus easilyand quickly graded or assorted according to both size and quality. The apparatus is exceedingly simple and may be produced at a very low cost and as there are no moving parts it is not apt to get out of order but will be found exceedingly durable.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A grading apparatus comprising an assorting table, and a vertically disposed gage extending over said table from side to side thereof and having a stepped lower edge in vertical spaced relation to the sur face of the table.

2. A grading apparatus comprising an assorting table having an upstanding rim along its edges and a rail extending from side to side on its upper surface between its front and rear edges, a vertically disposed gage supported over the rear edge of the table and having a stepped lower edge spaced from the surface of the table, and means in rear of the table to receive fruit passed over the table and under a defined portion of the stepped edge of the gage.

3. A grading apparatus comprising an assorting table, a plurality of frames disposed in rear of the table in rearwardly converging relation, receptacles carried by the several frames, and a series of runways each supported at its rear end by one of said frames and at its front end by the rear edge of the assorting table, and each arranged to deliver into the receptacles by which its rear end is supported.

4. A grading apparatus comprising an assorting table, posts erected on said table at the sides of the same, and a gage secured to and extending between said posts and adjustable vertically thereon, said gage having a stepped lower edge in spaced relation to the surface of the table.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

ARCHIE E. CALDWELL. 1 8.] 

